Safety mechanism for coiler blocks



Feb. 15, 1944. c. o; BRUESTLE 4 SAFETY MECHANISM FOR COILER BLOCKS Filed March 13, 1942 e Sheets-Shet 1 I INVENTOR, C'arl 0. Brweslle BY @04 QLLJ G.

A 7:7'0RNEY5 Feb. 15, 1944. c. o. BRUESTLE SAFETY MECHANISM FOR COILER BLOCKS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 15, 1942 Car QBrweszZe BY Qui 0 9 H TTORNE Y6 Feb. 15, 1944. 1 c. o. BRuEsTLE 2,341,688

SAFETY MECHANISM FOR COILER BLOCKS Filed March 13, 19 42 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. Carl 0. .Brwesfle HTTQENE s Feb. 15, 1944. c. o. BRUESTLE SAFETY MECHANISM FOR COILER BLOCKS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 13, 1942 k w Ir 7 E w -l////A m 0%! l T N vwvw wfi M H cw Feb. 15, 194% c. o. BRUESTLE SAFETY MECHANISM FOR COILER BLOCKS e Sheets-Sheet e Filed March 13, 1942 INVENTOR. Carl 0. Bawesfle Fl TTOR'NE Y5 Patented Feb. 15, 1944 sern'rr MECHANISM non. 001mm BLOCKS Carl 0. Eruestle, Rahway, N. J., assignor to Syncro Machine Company, Rahway, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 13, 1942, Serial No. 434,548

12 Claims.

This invention is concerned with a wire coiling machine having in combination therewith safety mechanism operating automatically under the control of the wire being coiled to prevent the terminal or broken end of a wire being coiled from being a free end which might cause injury and for preventing the uncoiling' of the wire on the collar under the same conditions.

In the drawings or otherwise processing of steel wire, and particularly wire of larger sizes, it is necessary to permit the terminal end of the wire to pass out of the die so that it becomes a free end. Under present practice the operator of such machines must be vigilant so as to note when the terminal end approaches the die so that the machine can be stopped before the end passes through it. 'The completion of the draw is then accomplished by what is termed jogging, that is the machine is'intermittently energized so that the free end of the Wire as it leaves the die will not whip about and become a serious source of possible injury to the operator. If the end of the wire is allowed to pass from the die with the machine running at normal speed a very serious and dangerous condition is created by the free end of the wire'swinging out from the block and sweeping over a considerable area. Upon consideration it will be apparent that a similar condition resultsshould the wire break at any time during the drawing operation. The danger due to breakage is even more serious since it may occur at any time and when the operator or other workers in the vicinity are not expecting it. In addition when the end of the wire comes out of the die, or the wire breaks, and particularly when drawing high carbon steel rods, there is an exaggerated tendency for the wire to uncoil upon release of the wire. A considerable number of turns tend to unwrap under these conditions which exaggerates the tendency of the free end to whip about.

In accordance with this invention these conditions are eliminated where they occur due to the end of the wire coming out of the die, or due to wire breakage, by means of a mechanism controlled by the wire itself, and if desired, manually controlled for gathering inthe free end of the wire to prevent it from swinging through the air and to prevent any considerable amount of uncoiling of the turns on the coiler block.

In addition ther are more specific and detailed objects of this invention which will be best appreciated after securing a full understanding of the embodiments of the invention selectedior illustrative purposes herein. 'g j,

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction, arrangement and relative location of parts, all as will be described in detail below.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a. top plan view of a coiler block and associated mechanism illustrating the combination of one form of the herein invention therewith;

Figure 2 is a right hand end elevational view with some parts broken away and others in crosssection of this combination;

Figure 3 is a detailed broken portionwise view showing this structure in operated position;

Figure 4 is a broken partly cross-sectional view of another form of the inventive combination which is a preferred practical form thereof;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred form taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 with some parts broken away;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view with some parts broken away taken on the line 66 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail cross-sectional view illustrating a modification of the structure of Figures 4, 5 and 6;

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view with many parts broken away of a still further modified form of the invention;

Figure 9 is a similar view of a modification of the structure of Figure 8; and

Figures 10 and 11 are vertical cross-sectional and broken plan views of a structure comprising a further modification of either of the structures of Figures 8 and 9.

Except for modifications necessary to apply the subject matter of this invention thereto the particular form of coiler or bull block employed is of no importance. The coil mechanism illustrated in the various figure exemplifies but one possible form to which the invention herein disclosed may be applied. In the form illustrated it consists of a suitable housing II] in which is journaled a vertical shaft l2 on which the coiler or bull block I l is mounted for rotation on a vertical axis. The bull block may be of any suitable construction, and as illustrated, in accordance with usual practice is at the wire receiving portion slightly tapered and is provided with a base flange or skirt I5. As' is usual the wire W moves to the bull block tangentially at the fillet between the'conical portion and its skirt, as is clear from the'figures. As illustrated, the bull block is provided with a series of vertical bars or rods l6 upon which the coil collects as the turns thereof are forced upwardly by each succeeding turn. Within the housing I is a worm wheel [11 secured to the shaft l2 and driven in any suitable manner by a shaft l3 (Figure 1) which extends into the housin I 0 and is provided with a worm, not shown, meshing with the worm wheel l4. There is illustrated in the drawings an air cooling system which forms no part of this invention. It comprises a circular casing I! mounted on the housing Ill and surrounding the bull block at the skirt IS. The casing I1 provides an annular passage l9 to which air in suitable volume is supplied through a connection l8. The housing I! i's'constructed so as to have an annular orifice positioned to blow air onto the wi'reas 'it is coiledbn the bull block at the flange, as will be clear for example from Figure 2. u The skirt I5 is provided with a series of circumferentially spaced apertures in which vertically slidable pins 2] i are mounted. pins are headed at bothends so as to be limited in their vertical movements, Thetop a zz r the housing It] forms a re-entrant structure, as is clear from Figure 2, to provide a recess in which a flat ring 23 is mounted This ring is of suitable diameter so as to lieunder the lower heads of the pins 2| as is clearly se enir mall the figures of this modification. Mountedi the wall 22 are a plurality of fixed sleeveszawhich have longitudinal passages therethrough which are counterbored from the upper end and in which lie the rods 24, The upp er ends of the rods are p m n t s c re f q t 13 3.1 Iiiih counierboresof the s ev sa es r ri .ifiw i are under compression when t e ring isin the position shown in Figure 2, so as to tend to force the i dly-u W i, a. c. c.

At a i of am r c l di es drii iis. th arms 21 are secuiedio th rings? an ex en through passages in the wallZZso as topr ect b wh s 3 1 e V i l cn qll fiq'fi at 28 to the ends of levers 29 which are secured for rotation therewith to ahq fi ontals hait; 30 journaled in the housing In and disposed as clearly illustrated in Figure 1 mp g otally connected as indigatedat 32 to on V r 29 nd nds de ard 1 3351; .;Pi"' otally connected at 33 to alever, 3 4, ver 34 is secured to a short shaft 35 journalsd in a side wall of the housing andprojecting externally thereof so as to receive the pedal levenili. A latch 3'! is secured to the outer fac f the housing Hi ata point so asto lock the lever in depressed position, as indicated in Figure 2 A switch 38 providedwith an oper'ating arn 39 is mounted on the housing so 1 0 eengaged by the pedal lever 36 when in its raised position, i

A suitably shaped pulley 40 is positioned on the outside of the housing I I0 socas to lie in thepath of the wire W as it moves to the bull block along a tangential path, as is clear iromFigure 1 The pulley or guidewheel 40 is rotatably mounted on a supporting structure 4| whichv is vertically slidable in the top wall of housing In, and whicih is pivotally connected at its lower end to a short lever 42 also secured to the shaft 30. M I v The operation of this mechanism will nowbe described in detail. After the initialend of the wire to be drawn has passed through the finishing die of the drawing machineKriot shown) or has completed any treatment prior to coiling, that end is attached tofthe bull block b anism not shownfbut commonly emplo sur the formation of the iirst iewc Is. I

nm'marny to this stringin p Operatibn is held depressed because of the connection of the pulley ll) with the shaft 30. The final result'isth'at'the pin's'2l are in the position shown in Figure 2. The machine is then put in normal runningjop'erationby energization of the power driveattachedto'shaft I3. At this point it may be noted that it is common to drive such machines by means ofelectric motors and the switch 38is intended to be connected into the control circuits of the motor so that when the pedal lever 3 6 isdepressed switch j 38 closed so that the motor is "under the control of theFma-in controller.

'Of course, should switch'3 8 open the main'motor "will be de en'ergiz edand' reference to this funcnon willl oe made later. v

, The machine is 1 nowrunn'ing at normal speed and will coritinueto so operate unless th wire breaks or the "terminal end comes out ofthe'die [or otherwisebecomesjiree Iffthe operator is vigilanta'nd sees thea'pproach of'the end of the 'jwire'he may "shut thema'chinefdo'wn and cause the wire topass out of the die'by 'me'ans'of the usual jog in operation. However, if he 'd0S not notice tneapproachiof the end of the wi're so that the] end comes out of thej'die or should the wirebreal; thefpressure of the .wireon the pulley 40 will' be relieved. Sprin'gs'lifi' will immediately 'pus'hjthe ring 23'upwardly to the position shownin Figure3,fa1nd of course all the connected mechanism will" assume corresponding'positions. Pins 2i WiIIth'ereuponbe projected'above the, skirt l5 "jto ior'm a cage or ring about the lowermost portion of thejcoil "on, the bull block, and the "free'jehdbfthe'fwirefwill be confined so "that "it will jnotflia e suiiijcient length to sweep ever any 'considerablefarea "In "mechanism 'of ithistype'the finishingdieisusually closel placed with rejs'pectftdtliejblillfblock so that the free end 10f the wire is, not; free lonaiarrd'ifit'isprevented from unconing'iromthe bull 'bloekiby'the cage 2|jitwi11not havesufficient'length'to do'any 5 32 I.

At"'the sametime'thatthe pins 2i are proje'cted 'bodily lever 36 vylllrise' and open switch 38 so,ftliatsimultaneously' withfthe actuation of the safety 'me'chanism'itlije main drive for "the bull b'lo'cl; winbeishutd w Thus themachine will quickly come to restmmimizingthe chances of injur jt'o"the op e'rator. The manner of .Connecting switch 38" to the motor control circuits to accomplish this object'will'be' at once appare'nttoanyone'skilled inlthisjart.v H

The mq fi ii n r Fi ures HQ n lusive. is

ele'ctro magnetic'allyj operated. In 'thisfarra-n'ge- 'vi'ded' with" a series; of eircumferentially spaced is held therein by a series of clamp plates 52. The ring 51 is held in the recess loosely enough so that it may move a limited amount circumferentially. As illustrated in Figure 5, a series oflugs 53 are secured to the upper face of the ring 5| and each forms an anchor for one end of a spring 54. The other end of each spring is secured, as indicated at 55, to the bull block. The ring is notched as indicated at 5| in Figure 5, so as to cooperate with a stop pin 5 I mounted on the bull block to limit circumferential rotation of the ring; The springs 54 normally hold the ring in the position shown in Figure 5, at which time the various associated parts are in the position shown in Figure 4. As clearly illustrated in Figure 6, a brake arm 56 is pivotally mounted on the housing H1 at 51'. A suitable friction shoe like that at 55 in Figure 7 is interposed between the arm 55 and the ring 5|. The free end of arm 56 engages a cam 5'! mounted on a shaft 58 journaled in the housing It (see Figure 4). The shaft 58 projects outside of the housing and has a lever 59 secured on its end. This lever is pivotally connected at 65 to a link 6|, which in turn is pivotally connected at 54 to the plunger 65 of a solenoid 52 mounted on the side of the housing. A spring 63' cooperates with the link 6| on a stop as shown so as normally to hold the plunger 65 in raised position and the attached-parts in the position shown in Figure 4. I

A switch it! having an operating arm |ti| is positioned so as to be engaged by the wire W in its tangential path of approach to the bull block. When the machine is in operation switch ltiii is open, the contacts of the switch are connected in an obvious manner to a suitable power source and to'the terminal of the solenoid 62,

so that it is ole-energized when the machine is in normal operation. In the operation of this mechanism the spring is sprung up as before and. set in operation at normal speeds, at which time the safety mechanism parts are in the position shown in Figure 4. Should the wire break or the end come out of the die, switch I closes, energizing solenoid 62 which attracts its plunger 65 causing shaft 58 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from the left hand end (Figure 4). The rotation of shaft 58 through the action of cam 51 causes the brake lever 56 to press the brake shoe against ring which is rotating bodily with the bull block N. This pressure on the ring 5| retards its movement sufiiciently to cause it to shift on the bull block from the position shown in Figure 5 in a clockwise direction until the right hand end of notch 5| engages the pin 5|a. This motion is accomplished against resistance of spring 54. This movement of ring 5| causes rotation of shaft 41 through the pins 49 and the arms 45. The result is that the arms 45 rotate from the position shown in Figure 4 to an upstanding position, as illustrated in Figure 6, thereby forming a cage about the coiled portions and preventing the free end of the wire from sweeping over a large area. As before, the main motor drive may be automatically de-energized in any one of many obvious ways to bring the machine to a stop, or if desired it may be brought to a stop by manual de-energization of the drive motor.

The structure illustrated in Figure '7 discloses sufficient of the mechanism to illustrate a further modification. In this case arms corresponding to the arms 45 as illustrated at 46' in Figure 7, are pivotally mounted at 41' in the skirt l5 of the bull block H. In this case the arms 45' lie radially oi the bull block. As before, a ring 5| is mounted for limited circumferential movement on the bottom of the bull block and is held in place by means of clamp plates 52'. A brake lever 56 operated by the cam 51 on the shaft 58 is employed as before. In this case, however, the outer circumferential edge of the ring 5| is notched as shown at 5| to provide camming surfaces which engage the holes or rear lower ends of the levers 46'. Thus when the brake is applied as before the ring 5| shifts and its camming surfaces cause the levers 45' to rotate to the dotted position shown in Figure 'Lto again cage in the adjacent portions of the wire on the block.

Figure 8 shows a modification which employs the operating mechanism of Figures 1 to 3 inclusive. In this case,however, the pins 2! are dispensed with and a cylingrical cage 66 is positioned so as to surround the skirt l5 of the bull block I In this case the pins 24 are secured to the cage and the cage is connected by the bars 2! to the arms 2!! as before. In this case when the wire breaks or comes out of the die it releases the mechanism so that the cylindrical cage 55 is projected upwardly to the dotted position shown in Figure 8 forming a continuous cage as distinguished from the interrupted or "discontinuous cages previously described.

'8 in that a cylindrical cage 66 is employed. In

this case, however, the cage rotates with the bull block II and is attached to the end surface thereof by means of projecting bolts 61 so that the cage may slide on them. This arrangement may be solenoid operated as in the case of the structures of Figures 4, 5 and 6. The link 5| of the solenoid mechanism is connected by an arm I0 secured to the shaft 351 which corresponds to the shaft 30 of Figure 1. A pair of arms 68 are positioned to engage the cage on its end surface at a pair of diametrically opposed points through the agency of rollers 59 on their ends. With this arrangement when the wire breaks or comes out of the die the solenoid is energized so that the arms 68 -move to the dotted. position and raise the cage 56 to the dotted position path shown in Figure 9.

The arrangement of Figures 10 and 11 may be considered a modification of the arrangement of Figure 9. In this case the cage consists of a ring 66' Vertically slidable on the bolts 61 secured to the under surface of the bull block A series of vertical arms 72 are welded to the ring 6| and are positioned so as to be slid able vertically in radial notches on the flange l5, as shown in Figure 11. The ring 66' may be raised by the mechanism illustrated in Figure 9 so that when the wire breaks or the end comes out of the die, the arms T2 will be projected to the dotted position (Figure 7) to form an interrupted cage.

From the above description of the various modifications of this invention it will be apparent being normally in retracted position below the coil, means for moving said arms from retracted position to form a cage about the adjacent region of said member, and means positioned to engage the strand for actuating said last means when the strand breaks.

2. In a wire coiling machine the combination with a rotatable coil forming member, of a cylindrica'l cage mounted adjacent the base of said member and co-axially therewith, said cage being below the path of movement of a strand to said member, means biased to move said cage coaxially to enclose the adjacent portion of said member and means engaged by the strand for restraining said biased means until the strand breaks.

3. In a Wire'coiling machine the combination with a rotatable coil forming member, of a cylindrical cage movably mounted adjacent the base of said member and co-axially therewith, said cage being below the path of movement of a strand to said member, electro-magnetically actuated means for moving said cage axially towards said member and means engaged by the strand for controlling said last means.

4. In a machine for coiling a strand, the combination'with a rotatable member for receiving thereon a strand to form a coil, of means movable to form a cage about said member and the coil thereof, biasing means ,for moving said movable means to cage formation, and means engaged by the strand for restraining said last means until the strand breaks or runs out.

5. In the combination of claim '4, said movable means comprising a plurality of arms supported around said rotatable member.

6. In a strand coiling machine, the combination with a rotatable member for receiving a strand thereon to form a coil, and cage forming elements positioned concentrically about said member and normally in retracted position, of means operated when the strand breaks or runs out to move said cage forming elements from retracted position to surround the strand receiving end of the rotatable member to limit the' unwinding of the coil formed thereon.

'7. In a strand coiling machine, the combination with a. rotatable bull block having a skirt at its base, of movable cage forming means supported around said skirt, means for urging said cage forming means upwardly about a coil formed on said bull block, and means engaged by the strand in passing to the bull block for holding said cage forming means 'in depressed position until the strand breaks or runs out.

8. In a strand coiling machine, the combination with a rotatable bull block having a skirt on its base, of means movably supported on the skirt of the bull block for forming a cage about th block in the region of the skirt, means restrained by the strand going to the bull block for moving said cage forming means into cage forming position when released through breakage or running out of the strand. 7

9. In the combination of claim 8, said cage forming means comprising a plurality of arms pivotally mounted on the skirt of the bull block.

1a. In a strand coiling machine, the combination with a rotatable bull block, of a plurality of levers 'pivotally mounted on the bull block and normally lying in a retracted position, means for pivoting said levers to a projected position, and means restrained by the strand going to the bull block for projecting said levers when the strand breaks or runs out. a

11. In a coiling machine, the combination with a rotatable coil forming'block, of a plurality of arms pivotally mounted on said block in a circular line concentric therewith, and means including amember engaged and controlled by a strand being coiled on said block for actuating said arms to a position to form a cage about the adjacent portion of said block when the strand breaks or runs out, to free said member.

12. In a wire coiling machine, the combination with a rotatable coil forming block having a slotted skirt, of a plurality of cage forming members mounted in said slots in retracted position, and means including a member normally engaging the strand for projecting said members into position to surround the strand receiving portion of said block when the strand breaks or runs out so as to free said member.

CARL O. BRUESTLE. 

